Warriors game day: How will Kevin Durant be greeted in Washington?

Philadelphia 76ers' Robert Covington scrambles with Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant during the first quarter on Monday, Feb. 24, 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS) less

Philadelphia 76ers' Robert Covington scrambles with Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant during the first quarter on Monday, Feb. 24, 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. (Steven M. ... more

Photo: Steven M. Falk, TNS

Photo: Steven M. Falk, TNS

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Philadelphia 76ers' Robert Covington scrambles with Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant during the first quarter on Monday, Feb. 24, 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS) less

Philadelphia 76ers' Robert Covington scrambles with Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant during the first quarter on Monday, Feb. 24, 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. (Steven M. ... more

Photo: Steven M. Falk, TNS

Warriors game day: How will Kevin Durant be greeted in Washington?

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Warriors at Wizards

Time: 4 p.m. PT

Where: Verizon Center, Washington

Coaches:Steve Kerr, 3rd season with Warriors (190-33 with Warriors and overall); Scott Brooks, 1st season with Wizards (34-23 with Wizards and 372-230 overall)

>>How will Kevin Durant be greeted in his hometown? Though the hostility won’t compare to what he endured recently in Oklahoma City, Durant figures to hear his share of boos Tuesday night. The Washington-area native crushed Wizards fans’ hopes in July when he didn’t include the team among the six clubs invited to the Hamptons to pitch him on the prospects of joining them in free agency. On Monday, the Washington Post published a story with a headline that included this quote: “I really just didn’t want to play at home.” The article explains that, while Durant still feels loyal to his roots, he has long been interested in leaving his comfort zone. Of course, plenty of people will focus on the headline.

>>Will fatigue be a factor? Twenty-four hours after a cross-country flight, Golden State held off an inspired 76ers team for a 119-108 win. The drawback? Because Philadelphia tested them more than many expected, the Warriors were forced to play their core players until the final minutes. Now, Golden State faces a daunting task: the rough end of a back-to-back set against one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams. After losing their only two games since the All-Star break, the Wizards recognize that a win over Golden State would be the ideal way to get back on track.

>>Can the Splash Brothers get the best of John Wall and Bradley Beal? Tuesday pits two of the NBA’s elite backcourts against each other. While the Warriors boast two of the best shooters in league history in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the Wizards have two guards in Wall and Beal who are averaging 22-plus points per game. When Golden State played in Washington last season, Curry (51 points) helped his team outlast the Wizards and Wall (41).

Quotable: “Hometown team, I want them to do well, and I want Scotty (Brooks) to do well as a coach. He’s turned that thing around after a slow start, playing championship-caliber basketball and you got to respect it.” - Kevin Durant